Sash-balancing device



(No Model.) A. KEYSER.

SASH BALANCING DEVICE.

atented July 27, 1886.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREV KEYSER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SASH-BALANCING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,110, dated July 27,1886.

Application filed April 6, 1886.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW KEYSER, of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain newanduseful Improvement-siuWindows; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to an improvementin windows.

The object is to provide a device for holding a sash in any requiredelevated adjustment without necessitating the cutting of thewindow-frame and the exposure of unsi ghtl y parts.

A further object is to provide a sash-holding device which may beapplied to windows now in general use without disturbing any part of thewindow-frame, and which will admit of the ready and easy adjustment andremoval of the sash for cleaning the glass, putting in new glass, 85c. r

A further object is to providea saslrholder which shall hold the windowsnugly against the parting-bead or stop, as well as in elevatedadjustment, thereby preventing rattling and the entering of wind andmoisture.

A further object is to provide a neat, durable, effective, andinexpensive sash-holder adapted to all styles, sizes, and weights ofsash.

With these ends in View my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View of awindow frame andsash embodying my improvement, the sash being partially broken away onone side, showing a portion of the holding device in position for use.Fig. 2 is a side edge View of a sash, showing the holder in position.Fig. 3 is an inside view of one side of the frame,showing the stationaryoperating-lug attached thereto and the graduated spiral in engagementtherewith, the position being that which the spiral assumes when thesash is adjusted for use; and Fig. 4 is a detached view of one corner ofthe sash,showing a stop in position to prevent the spiral from turning.

A represents a window-frame of ordinary construction, save that it isnot cut to receive Serial No.198,03-i. (No model.)

a pulley and cord, as is common, but is made with a smooth imperforateface on the side to ward the sash. A parting-bead, a, is secured inposition between the sashes, and the'back and front stops, a, are as isusual.

B represents the stile of a windowsash, and b b the bottom and top railsof the sash, respectively.

The outside edges of the saslrstiles B are grooved or plowed out, asshown at O, and in said grooves or channels are journaled therotaryspiral rods or bars D. The spirals D consist, preferably, of thin stripsof metal, having thickness enough, however, to makethem rigid whensubmitted to the greatest strain to which they are liable to besubjected, and are twisted into a graduated spiral form, as shown. Theends are provided with journals (1, which have bearings in plates orblocks in the corners of the sash. The twist on the spirals isgraduated, the pitch being increased from top to bottom. The spirals aremade with right and left twist, for the purpose of exerting a strain inthe same direction on the edges of the sash. To the upper or lower endsof the spirals are secured the ends of coiled springs E, the springsbeing coiled around the journals and their opposite ends secured to thesash or bearing plate, as may be found most convenient.

On the stiles of the window-frame toward the sash are secured a pair oflugs, F, one on each side, set slightly oblique to theplane of the sash,and adapted to engage the spirals, as shown in Fig. 3. The lugs F may becast on small plates, and the plates secured to the window-frame byscrews or nails; or they may be provided with screw-stems and screwedinto position, or other approved means might be employed to secure themin position.

The sash is adjusted in the window-frame by means of open slots G,formed in the rear side edges of the sash, just deep enough to receivethe lugs F. The sash, when placed in the frame with the slots G-opposite the lugs, may then be pressed back or outwardly, bringing theside edges of the sash in contact with the stop or parting-bead andthelngs into engagement with the spirals. The spirals, before the sashis adjusted in the window-frame, should be rotated sufficiently to givethe spring the tension required to hold the sash at any point ofelevation by frictional contact between the spirals and the lugs F. Ofcourse this would differ with different sashes, and could readily bedetermined by one or two trials.

To hold the spirals in their normal adj ustment while the sash is beingadjusted in the window-frame, a pair of stops, H, consisting,preferably, of pins extending through the corners of the sash intoengagement with the spirals, may be inserted. WVhcn the sash is ad- I0justed and the pins or stops I-I removed, the

spirals tend to unwind, and in so doing press against the outsides ofthe lugs F, and hence press the window-sash snugly against the outsidestop or parting-bead.

The sash is preferably adjusted to the window-frame in a position at ornear its most ele'-' vated limit. It follows, therefore, that when drawndown to its closed adjustment, the spirals in engagement with the lugs Fwill be rofated, and the tension of the springs E willbe therebyincreased. Because of the said in crease in the tension of the springsthe friction will be increased between the spirals and the lugs F; hencethe pitch of the spiral may be increased, and the window allowed toslide more freely than it would were the pitch to continue the same frombottom to top. It will be observed that the tension of the springs tendsto rotate the spirals in the direction which would tend to elevate thesash, and hence relieve as far as possible the lifting strain on thepart of the operator.

The stops H, which have already been referred to in connection with theadjustment of the sash, will also serve as sash-locks when the window ispartially or entirely closed, since they serve to prevent the rotarymotion of the spirals, and hence prevent them from traveling along thelugs F.

From the above it will be observed that the I sash-holder may be appliedto windows of ordinary construction now in use, requiring only thepreparation of the sashes to receive the spirals, and that a sash may beremoved with great facility for cleansing,painting,or putting in glass,while the openings in the windowframe, which have hitherto provedannoying in letting in cold air, and theboxes for weights, requiring ageneral tearing-up of the frame when the cord breaks, are entirelyavoided.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form andarrangement of the severalparts described without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention. For example, a spring might beemployed at each end of the spiral, and the springs might be wound tocause the spirals to bear against the inside stop and parting-beadinstead of the outside; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly tothe construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, with awindow-sash, ofa spring-actuated spiral strip or bar journaled in the sash and aprojection on the windowframe adapted to engage the spiral strip or barand retain the sash in the desired adjustment, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination, with a spiral rod or bar journaled in a window-sashand adapted to engage a lug on the window-frame, of a stop adapted toengage the spiral rod or bar and prevent it from rotating, substantiallyas set forth.

3. The combination, with the window-frame having a projection, of awindow-sash having a frictional sash-holder located in the edge thereofand provided with a slot adapted to register with the projection on thewindowframe, whereby the sash can be adjusted in and removed from theframe sash-holder.

4. The combination, with a window-frame having a projecting lug, of awindow-sash carrying a'frictional sash-holder and provided with a slotadapted to registerwith the lug on the window-frame, and a device forlocking the frictional sash-holder against movement,

substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW KEYSER.

lVitnesses:

JNo. E. JoNEs, O. S. DRURY.

